How It All Began
by Carissime
Summary: Prequel to 'A Letter to Hermione'. How a chance meeting in Flourish and Blotts developed into something neither of them had ever believed they could find. EWE, lemons in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**-This whole story will be the prequel to the Letters to Hermione series, and will be multi-chaptered. Again, this is un-betaed, so I apologise in advance for any mistakes.

* * *

Hermione Granger really was struggling to deal with the press today. It was late August; she was hot, tired and getting very irritated by the morons with cameras getting in her way as she tried to peruse the shelves of Flourish and Blotts. All she wanted was a quiet moment to get at her books without being mobbed by nosy, gossip-hungry vultures every time she rounded a shelf. She was a private person by nature, and certainly didn't need the public looking into her private affairs. There had been enough of that after her rather fractious breakup with Ronald, where she had caught him cheating on her with his old flame Lavender Brown.

The backlash from that little incident had been awful, because apparently men didn't really appreciate it when women tossed them out on their scrawny arses for something that was entirely their own fault. Molly Weasley still refused to speak to her, even though it had been at least eighteen months ago. This was despite the fact that she herself had forgiven Ron, and she was the wounded party in this scenario. Thankfully, Ginny had refused to side with Ron, and the pair were getting along famously after a slightly shaky start immediately after the war's end.

Nevertheless, the situation stood that she still had to try and evade reporters while doing the most basic of errands; no place was sacred to them. They had even followed her into the apothecary once, taking photos of the brand of contraceptive potion she had bought and splashing it all over the papers, with the tasteful title 'Is the Golden Girl Getting Some?' along with an extremely detailed analysis of all of her known ex-boyfriends. So here she was, slipping into the quieter areas of the bookshop in the hope of escaping notice.

Hermione didn't recognise this part of the bookshop, having mainly visited for research and Ministry purposes rather than pleasure. But that was clearly what that area had been designed for. She reasoned that she must have stumbled into the Romance section, as the covers she could see mostly depicted well-muscled, half naked men and scantily clad women, under titles such as 'The Wizard's Wand' or 'The Three Knights Ride Again'. Curious, if slightly ashamed of herself, she looked closer at one entitled 'Dark Desires'. The witch on the front had her wrists tied together above her head, and the rest of the image was a half-naked wizard with dark hair walking towards the bound woman. Unconsciously, Hermione bit her lip at the thought such a thing. On impulse, she decided to buy it, and tucked it between her Magical Law texts in case the photographers were still hanging around.

Thankfully, by the time she appeared at the end of the section there was no sign of the press. As she rounded the corner she bumped straight into a man going the opposite way, her books falling from her arms as she cursed quietly. Apologising, she quickly leaned down to retrieve her books, only to find he had got there first as she almost smashed her head into his nose on the way down. Upon looking up, she was staring into the dark eyes of her old Potions Master, who was now holding her romance novel.

Shit.

* * *

Severus was rather surprised at seeing his old student in public so soon after the potion fiasco a week ago, knowing she'd still be embarrassed about the whole thing. And yet, perhaps she had taken a more mature path and decided to simply ignore it. She had certainly matured physically over the two years since the war had ended. Her hair had smoothed into soft ringlets rather than frizz, she had gained at least two inches in height and far more curves than he was expecting, not that he was disappointed. Rather, he was just a little surprised at how much she had changed over the last two years. His irritation at being run into turned to shock when he saw the title of the book he had picked up for the witch, particularly as it was _this_ witch, Gryffindor's Princess.

Raising a single, aristocratic eyebrow, he asked "_'Dark Desires'_, Miss Granger? I must say I'm a little intrigued, what with the rumours going around about our famous 'Golden Girl'."

She blushed furiously, feeling her face heat as blood rushed to her head. "With respect, Professor, the rumours are just that. What I do with my private life is no-one's business but my own."

"I quite agree, and I can only sympathise seeing as how often you're featured in the gossip rags these days. Particularly after that debacle with the Weasley oaf."

"Yes, well, are you going to stand here and mock me all afternoon, or give my book back?" She raised an eyebrow in question, the light dancing in her eyes almost daring him to defy her.

Rising to the challenge, he drawled "I'm just a little curious as to what manner of erotica the Gryffindor Princess finds worthy of her. Perhaps it'll give your suitors helpful hints."

Hermione had thought that it was impossible to get this incensed with one wizard, but apparently not. Coolly, she replied, "Professor, is that the new edition of Potions Today? I have been dying to find someone to discuss the possible repercussions of combining Muggle chemistry with certain types of healing potions.", only half in an attempt to distract him. After all, it was a fascinating subject.

His face didn't register his annoyance at her not taking the bait. "It is indeed, Miss Granger. In fact, I have been rather curious about that theory myself." He refused to acknowledge the idea that had it been most others, he would have ignored her comment and carried on as before.

"Well," She started, "If there was some way to begin a potion with simple chemical bases, it would open up a whole new avenue of study to the entire field."

Silently, he agreed. "While that would be ideal, there is the issue that those chemicals simply won't react with each other to form the bases in a magical environment."

"But what if we created the base in a Muggle environment, or at least one here that is magic free, it would allow the potion to be made from it without consequence."

He slowly nodded. "What you're suggesting is a completely magic-free area, in which muggle chemistry is performed before the potion is begun."

"Essentially, yes. And I have found a spell to create such an environment."

True surprise registered itself on his face momentarily. "How?"

"The spell itself is one I found reference in a case I was arguing, where the witch's husband cast it on her to prevent her from doing any magic. However, I found that it could be adapted for use as a ward, which can make any room in a magical area completely Muggle. Even electricity works."

"This, this has the potential to revolutionise the magical world Miss Granger."

She blushed faintly at his praise, having not quite got over a schoolgirl crush on the imposing man.

"You must come over for dinner next week, we will discuss this further. I have a large amount of research that can be practically applied if this spell works, if you would be willing to demonstrate?"

She nodded slowly. "Of course, it only requires an incantation."

"Wonderful. I shall have my familiar deliver the details this evening. Good day, Miss Granger." He stated curtly, before striding away to exit the shop.

"Blimey." She thought, biting her lip. "Dinner with Professor Snape…" Unbidden, an image of her kissing him came to the forefront of her mind, which she banished with a shake of her head. She finished her shopping and apparated home, refusing to give any more thought to the dark man's proposition.

* * *

Upon her return home, she spotted a raven tapping her window with its beak. She assumed it was the Potions Master's familiar, judging by the way it attempted to poo on her head after delivering its letter. Inside, the invitation was written in his usual, spiky scrawl, denoting that she should Floo to his home the next Saturday evening.

Hermione considered her options. She could not go, and snub the man completely, or she could wander blindly into his home and possibly discover something entirely new, and not just about Potions.

Needless to say, curiosity won out.

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**A/N**-What did you think? Tell me in the reviews! The next chapter should be up soon, although exams are definitely a factor in how quickly I write.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**-Once again, un-betaed, so all mistakes are mine. I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my reviewers, without whom I probably wouldn't bother writing. You honestly are amazing. Also, if anyone has time, could you please answer the question in the poll? The result affects the tone of Chapter 4 so I do need an answer. Thank you!

* * *

By the time Saturday arrived, Hermione was a mess. She was utterly terrified of how the evening would turn out, and hoped against hope that her spell would work as she had described it to Severus. Secretly, she also hoped that he'd enjoy her company over dinner, the book she had purchased only fuelling her desire for the dark man. After seeing him with it in his hands, the only man she could imagine the male character being was indeed her old Potions Professor. Yes, she couldn't resist the thought of it being him that had his way with her-maybe it was his voice, or his mannerisms, or something else entirely, but she just knew that he absolutely entranced her. Gods, she could only imagine his reaction if he found out.

The way he had spoken to her in the bookshop hadn't helped either. His voice felt like it was stroking along her skin, sliding over her body and sending the most delicious shiver down the length of her spine. The dark look in his eyes only served to inflame her further, unfathomable as they were, his eyes were startling in their intensity. Merlin.

Even though she kept telling herself this wasn't a date, that he just wanted the spell, it didn't stop her from spending a good couple of hours preparing. By the time she was ready to go she had changed her outfit at least five times, eventually deciding on the first one she'd tried on first. Ah well. Not wanting to look like she was dressing up for him, she had chosen a simple cashmere jumper and dark jeans, the deep plum colour of the jumper offsetting her eyes quite nicely.

"Bollocks!"

She had forgotten the time, and it was already two minutes after the time she was supposed to be meeting him. Dashing for her notes, she threw her research into her bag and quickly Floo'd to Professor Snape's home in Spinner's End.

* * *

"Ah, Miss Granger. So kind of you to join me." He drawled, his gaze pinning the witch in place on the rug.

"I'm so sorry, the time ran away with me and-" She began to explain, but was silenced by another glance from the wizard.

A tinny alarm sounded from a doorway leading off from the room, causing Severus to excuse himself to check on their meal. Hermione, true to nature, took this opportunity to look around the room she was in.

It was larger than she would have expected, and quite richly furnished. The rug in front of the fire was clearly Oriental, and the fireplace itself was rather ornate, with vines carved into the marble. Bookcases covered two of the walls, and various doors led off to other parts of the house. From what she had heard from Harry at the end of the war, she could only assume that he had drastically redecorated his home after retiring from teaching.

"Getting yourself acquainted with my home, Hermione?" He breathed from directly behind her. She jumped a mile, only just containing a squeak of fright as she whipped around to face him.

"As a matter of fact,_ Severus_, I am." Her voice was mocking as she replied, the deliberate use of his given name a jibe at his use of hers.

"Well, I'm delighted that you feel comfortable enough to get familiar with me, witch. Dinner is served." Hermione almost thought he was teasing her, but that was preposterous, surely? The abrupt change of topic threw her slightly, but she recovered quickly enough to scurry after him, unable to keep up with his long stride. Still, it certainly didn't stop her from surreptitiously checking out his arse as he walked in front of her.

He led her into a small dining room, large enough to fit a square table with four chairs and not much else. It was decorated in the same vein as the living room, although it was rather dimly-lit due to a low amount of candle sconces on the walls.

Severus directed her to her chair and disappeared into the kitchen as she settled herself, not seeing the raven perched in the corner of the room.

* * *

Mordant was extremely curious about this young woman who had invaded his Master's quarters. Hardly anyone visited the dark man, and even then the visits were brief and business related. At least the man had left that school now, instead choosing to retire and conduct his own research into various potions, although it did greatly reduce his list of potential targets. He had particularly enjoyed the Divination teacher's reaction when hit with bird poo, the woman with all the ridiculous scarves, especially as she had been infatuated with his Master for as long as he could remember. The only reason he hadn't defecated on the new witch's hair tonight was because he could sense that his Master would be extremely displeased with him if he did, and he had no desire to be fluorescent pink again.

Severus walked back into the room carrying two plates of grilled tuna with spaghetti, setting the woman's down in front of her as she thanked him. He noticed that during their meal not much conversation took place between the two, although they did discuss their work lives for a while. Apparently she worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, mainly on cases of divorce, domestic abuse and cases involving children. Mordant hoped that the witch hadn't seen his Master's twitch; it was much too early to get into that. He only knew himself because of the connection he had with the Master, where he could occasionally see flashes of what he was thinking.

Looking up, he noticed that the young woman was laughing at something the Master had said. It wasn't an unpleasant sound. Severus had that glint in his eyes again, the one that normally spelt some kind of trouble for the cause. His eyes followed his Master's movements as he took the dishes into the kitchen once more, before bringing out dessert. By the look on the witch's face, she was absolutely delighted by his choice. Bored, Mordant closed his eyes.

Moments later, a strange noise came from the witch opposite his Master as she ate. He didn't recognise it himself, but Severus did, judging by the dangerous glint in his eyes and the smirk twisting his thin lips.

"Enjoying yourself, Hermione?"

The raven could see the witch's blush from across the room.

"I-ah-Do excuse me, Professor, I don't know what came over me." She spluttered, obviously mortified by her pleasured moan.

The wizard raised an eyebrow, but let the subject drop.

The meal was concluded in silence, and the young woman was instructed to go to the living room while he cleared up. She quickly acquiesced, still utterly embarrassed by her behaviour as she scuttled off.

* * *

Severus flicked his wand at the dishes and set them to clean as he mulled over dinner's events. The witch had definitely matured since her school days as she hadn't badgered him with incessant questions or chattered inanely. Her conversation had actually been interesting; he'd forgotten how bright the witch was and what she did for a living did fascinate him, although it would bring up far too many awkward questions that he really didn't want to answer. He decided not to bring it up.

However, her moan at dinner had shocked him, but not as much as his reaction had. A very… Physical reaction, one that he hadn't had from a simple noise since he was a teenager. He'd had a hard time concealing it, thankful that he'd kept to his tradition of wearing robes over his pressed shirt and trousers. Severus had a feeling that he'd have to take the robes off soon though, in order for Hermione to give her spell demonstration.

Speaking of which…

Walking out of the kitchen, he found the little witch carefully browsing his vast collection of books, a small smile of pleasure lighting her delicate features. He shook his head and spoke, startling her out of her reverie.

"Hermione, would you be so kind as to demonstrate that spell for me now? I would like to be able to continue my research at some point this millennium." He silkily asked, standing close to the witch to startle her.

Much to his delight, she jumped. "Of course, sorry, I must have gotten distracted." Her face flushed a pale pink at being caught browsing through his books. "Uh, where would you like me to demonstrate?"

"Follow me, Hermione." He replied, his black eyes sweeping over the woman once more before he turned and led the way to his lab.

He could tell as soon as she entered that she was impressed. Her amber eyes had gone as large as saucers at the sheer size of the room, combined with the various projects of his that littered the available surfaces in preparation. It was well lit and he could clearly see her interest in the contents of the cauldrons, so he decided to encourage her along.

"Any time you're ready would be perfect, it's not like I have anything to be doing." He purred, snapping the witch's focus back on the task in hand.

"Oh yes, of course." She withdrew her papers from her bag and explained to him the theory behind the spell, mostly just reiterating what she had said in the bookshop.

"Basically, it takes the principle of withdrawing magic from a person and applies to a whole area, meaning that muggle science can be done without incident." She raised her wand and swished it in a rather complicated pattern, the incantation flowing from her like water. In mere moments, the spell was completed, and she looked to him for conformation of the effects.

He turned to the first of his cauldrons, mixing a simple base as a starting point. The chemicals combined as perfectly as he believed they would have done, knowing that this witch was nothing if not utterly thorough in her research.

"It has worked, Hermione." He confirmed, turning to the witch with a look of respect.

He was greeted by an absolutely stunning smile in return. It lit up her whole face and he himself felt much happier as a result of her joy, something that was exceedingly rare for the dour man. Refusing to dwell on it, he invited her to the living room for a toast to celebrate her achievement, and further discussion of the implications of the spell itself.

* * *

They ended up talking about a variety of topics until the early hours of the morning, the vast quantity of elf-made wine easily loosening their tongues. Severus was shocked by how easy it felt to talk to the witch, especially considering how irritating he had found her as a student. He supposed that people changed over time, experience and time altering views and personalities alike. After all, finally being free of both of his masters had changed him.

One change that he would certainly notice in the morning was that instead of sending the witch home, he had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder, his face buried in her vanilla-scented curls.

* * *

**A/N**\- Love it? Hate it? Tell me in the reviews! Just to warn you, the next updates will be sporadic because I have eight exams next week and I still haven't got a definitive result in the poll. I also want to get most of the story planned before I continue much further, but I will keep writing!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**-I'd like to dedicate this chapter to vampirela69, LuresaSWTOR, LoveInTheBattleField and MissJaneEyre, for continuing to keep me smiling with their reviews. Thank you!

* * *

Severus had slept easily for the first time in longer than he cared to remember. Slowly gaining consciousness, he realised that something was definitely different. First off, he was still on the sofa. Secondly, he could distinctly feel a woman's soft form pressed against his side, the sweet scent of her filling the air around them both. Thirdly, he was holding her close to him, his arms wrapped around her body and absorbing her warmth. He had _cuddled_ Hermione Granger in his sleep. Worse yet, he had awoken with his morning erection pressed into her side.

Shit.

He gently disengaged himself from her, making sure that she wasn't jolted from sleep by his movements. Severus laid her down on the sofa almost tenderly, doing his best to make the witch comfortable as he covered her with a blanket. Casting one last look at her peaceful form, he quickly retired to the bathroom to take care of himself, having located a Deflating Draught.

Seeing her utterly vulnerable in his home had brought on a sudden attack of the conscience. This woman had been his student, annoying as she was, and he had known her since she was eleven. A mere child. Merlin, she was still only twenty, barely older than a child now! He was a whole nineteen years older than the witch he was most definitely having inappropriate thoughts about, but he couldn't seem to tear himself away.

Something about her captivated his attention.

Perhaps it was the way she talked, her voice pleasant enough but the conversation itself utterly engaging. Her bright manner was the perfect accompaniment to his dark, sarcastic demeanour, slowly drawing him out of the shadows of his previous life. But was he willing to go, to corrupt her? He had lived a life steeped in some of the worst evil mankind had ever suffered, committing absolutely monstrous crimes under the name of the Dark Lord, even that of the Order. There was no way he could snuff out her light with his past. It would be too cruel to allow her potential to go to waste on a man like him. A man far beyond redemption.

After all, she was a very desirable witch; surely there was some young man about to sweep her off her feet. Not only was she bright, but she was beautiful and compassionate, and would make a man a truly wonderful wife. As much as it pained him to think of her with someone else, he honestly believed that this was the best thing for her. He couldn't promise that he wouldn't be jealous of the man who won her heart, the gods knew how much he wanted her, even after just one night in her company. But he knew that he couldn't entertain these childish fantasies of having her for himself.

"Severus?" He heard her call from the other room. Even the way she said his name was perfect, her sweet voice softly caressing each syllable. Quickly splashing water on his face and dressing in a shirt and trousers, he went to answer her call.

She was sat on the sofa, clearly hungover and rather confused by how she came to end up asleep on his sofa. Her hair looked rather like she'd been dragged through a hedge and she was bleary eyed, much unlike her normal neat persona. Smirking, he gestured to a small vial of hangover potion he had left on the coffee table, knowing that she was completely unused to drinking. He watched her consume it, thanking him profusely which he waved off.

"You are a guest in my home, Hermione. As such, you will be provided for." He replied silkily, noting her light blush. Perhaps she would be receptive to his advances after all.

"I'm really sorry for falling asleep, I never meant to be an inconvenience." She apologised, nibbling on her lower lip.

Severus refused to acknowledge what the sight of her biting her lip did to him. "Luckily it's Sunday, so it's not as much of an inconvenience as you think. I believe that last night's work was worth a little delay this morning, it really is an excellent spell."

He could see her blush from his praise as she began to gather her things. "Well, in that case, I shall leave you to it so you can get back to brewing." She decided as she did her bag up. "Again, I am sorry for taking up your time this morning, it won't happen again."

He nodded sharply, not quite wanting to reply, afraid he'd ask her to stay with him.

Giving him one last radiant smile, she again thanked him for his timed and Floo'd back to her apartment.

Strange really, he almost felt bereft at her loss.

* * *

Hermione landed awkwardly in her small flat, startling Crookshanks from his spot on the rug.

"Sorry!" She called after the orange blur as he hurtled onto his favourite spot on top of the bookcase, the one he used when she tried to groom him as it was just out of the witch's reach.

Cursing to herself, she began to sort her research back into its place in her desk. Honestly, how could she have been so stupid as to fall asleep at Severus' home? He must think she's stupid, or at least incompetent! It really was hideously unprofessional of her. Blast. Add that to the incident at dinner, and his opinion of her was definitely poor.

And to think she'd been trying to show him that she was no longer a child.

Crookshanks had apparently forgiven her for scaring him and was twined around her feet, his loud meows pulling her out of her reverie. Sighing, she went to feed him, the cat gulping down his meal appreciatively.

"At least you like me, Crooks." She murmured, reaching down to stroke his head. "Even if it is just because I feed you."

He blinked slowly up at her in response, drawing a confession from the witch.

"I'm never going to be able to stop thinking about him now. He was oddly charming at dinner, even if he didn't talk that much. Hell, he can cook better than I can! And his arse is _spectacular_. Dear gods, I even smell like the bloody man!" She cursed, gesturing down to the jumper she had worn to Severus' home. Hermione didn't stop to wonder why she smelt like him, all herbs and sandalwood, seeing as she had just slept on the sofa rather than anywhere near the man. No, she was too busy running to the shower in an effort to remove herself from all traces of him.

Even as she stood under the hot spray, thoroughly shampooing her hair, she knew it would all be futile. The infuriating wizard would continue to haunt her dreams, and her heart, for a very long time to come.

The witch let out a piercing shriek of frustration, scaring Crookshanks straight back up the bookcase again.

* * *

A few days later, Severus sat at his magnificent desk with a half-written letter in front of him, as Mordant perched on a stack of books ready to deliver it. He fought the urge to growl at the parchment in irritation, feeling that such an action was completely infantile and the behaviour of randy sixth-years. All he was trying to do was invite her to a seminar, not an orgy! Damn it all, but he had forgotten how hard it was to woo a witch.

He penned another couple of sentences in his usual, spiky hand, before thrusting it at Mordant and trusting the raven to deliver it properly. Merlin knows that the bird loved to make everyone's lives as difficult as possible, and as entertaining as it was, it could become rather tiresome. Not quite as tiresome as having to deal with the mess and owl leaves behind though.

In the end, he had settled on a concise missive that contained just the essentials of what he was asking the witch.

_Hermione,_

_There is a seminar on new healing potions for the nervous system and brain repair on the 10__th__ of September, which is almost two weeks away, at the Taurite Hotel. I would like you to accompany me to it, as you are both intelligent enough to understand without peppering me with questions and creative enough to offer solutions to some of the problems highlighted. Plus, I believe it would offer a refreshing change from your position at the Ministry. Please send a reply with Mordant if you are amenable, and I will send further details with him._

_Yours,_

_Severus_

The wizard truly wanted her to spend the evening with him again, and this seemed like the perfect excuse for him to do it. He was still a Slytherin after all, and Slytherins always got what they wanted.

* * *

**A/N**-Love it, hate it? Tell me in the reviews! I also _really_ need an answer on the poll now, because I can't finish the next chapter without it. Thanks again!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/****N**\- Hello, I'm still here! Sorry for the delay, I had fourteen exams in about nine days and suffered a _lot_ as a result. On the plus side, here's the chapter!  
Thanks again to all my reviewers, it really does make my day.

* * *

Hermione smiled as she reread the letter Severus had sent her, the one inviting her to the seminar. She'd been thrilled at the idea that he wanted to spend more time with her, and that he'd put so much thought into an activity that he knew she'd love. His reply to her acceptance had been short but sweet, expressing that he was looking forward to their evening together. Plus, this seminar meant she could explore how her spell could apply to a field she was particularly interested in, and she knew that he planned it with that in mind. It took a lot of convincing to keep telling herself that this wasn't a date, just an educative experience.

Circe, but she wanted him to educate her. Thoroughly.

She shook her head in exasperation. Oh, no. Absolutely not. This train of thought only led to trouble. Anyway, Ginny was taking her shopping in half an hour for the seminar, so she couldn't do anything now.

She was truly glad to have a friend like Ginny. Even though she had split with Harry after the war, owing to their childhood crush fizzling out, the two had remained great friends. The witch now played professional Quidditch for the Holyhead Harpies, but still managed to make time for Hermione. This did involve dragging her out of her flat on certain occasions. The redhead really was an asset in moments like this, because despite leaving school years before, Hermione was still a complete novice when it came to dressing for certain occasions and often needed Ginny's help.

Hence the trip to Diagon Alley.

Almost on cue, her ward chimed, announcing Ginny's arrival. Smiling to herself, Hermione quickly went to answer the door.

"Hi, Hermione!" Ginny beamed as she was ushered inside. "Are you alright?"

Hermione nodded, deciding to get straight to the heart of the matter. "I'm fine thanks, Gin. As I said, I really need your help with this seminar tomorrow."

The redhead's eyes widened. "You never said it was tomorrow! If we don't find something, you'll have to wear something of mine and your date will be very disappointed."

Sighing, Hermione replied "As you well know, it is not a date!"

"If it wasn't, you would have told me who you're going with." Ginny pointed out, a light teasing note in her voice.

"I haven't told you because he is a very private man and it would be presumptuous of me." Hermione quickly denied.

"Oh come on Hermione, I know you better than that. Do I know him?"

"Yes, although I find it had to believe that you'll be pleased." Hermione bit her lip.

"Go on! You've held out on me for _days_, you know how it pains me to be kept in the dark." Ginny pleaded, utilising her brother's famous puppy-dog stare.

"It's Professor Snape." She confessed in a very small voice.

"No! Come on, you're not dating the greasy bat of the dungeons?"

"Ginny!" Hermione bellowed. "First off, I'm not dating him! He's taking me to this seminar purely because I have created a spell that has applications in the same field."

"Bollocks. There's no way _Hermione Granger_ would be getting this concerned if she didn't fancy the man."

"Secondly," Hermione shouted over her, "The whole 'greasy bat of the dungeons' image was just a front! In reality, he's a very intelligent man, who has not only cultivated his art so well that he can live on it, but whose bravery saved the whole wizarding world. Not once did he complain, even when he was being tortured within an inch of his life, and he is still treated with suspicion by the Ministry, sanctimonious bastards that they are."

Ginny just stared at her in shock. "You really do care about him, don't you."

Hermione sighed and sat down heavily. "I don't know, Gin. He's a brilliant man, but I don't know if I can let myself fall for him-what if he's still in love with Harry's mother? I won't set myself up for heartbreak again."

The redhead nodded in understanding. "Look, all you can do is wait and see how it pans out. After all, he's obviously put a lot of thought into planning something you'd love, even if it isn't intended as a date."

Nodding slowly, Hermione saw the logic behind Ginny's statement. "Okay. I'll see what happens at the seminar and go from there…"

Ginny grinned at her, grabbing her wrist and tugging her out of the flat. "Come along 'Mione, you've got to impress him."

Hermione laughed helplessly as her friend apparated them to Diagon Alley to begin their trip. Merlin, she'd forgotten how much she missed Ginny's upbeat attitude to almost everything.

* * *

"Right."

Hermione paled slightly at the size of the clothing pile Ginny had selected for her to try on.

"You must be joking."

"Off you go!" Ginny smirked, thrusting an armful of silken fabric at the resigned witch.

Still grumbling, Hermione tried on about fifteen different outfits in quick succession. They were all too something; too short, too long, too glittery, too slutty, and far too many of them were a rather lurid shade of pink. Finally, she unearthed something that looked promising. The blouse was silver, so it didn't make her look ill like some of the others. It was coupled with a pretty black pencil skirt and low heels, and although the shirt wasn't something she would have normally picked she was pleased with it.

They finished their trip quickly, in order to head back to Hermione's flat for ice cream and old movies. Sometimes, acting like teenagers was far too tempting.

* * *

The date of the seminar arrived swiftly, and Severus was more than a little worried about it. Yes, Hermione was a brilliant witch and easily capable of holding her own, but she was a Ministry worker and had specialised in Charms, both of which wouldn't quite endear her to the stuffed shirts of the current Potions elite. Plus, she had a habit of making her beliefs and theories very clear to anyone who opposed them, often giving an irrefutable argument to points he made in his almost constant letters to the witch.

Oh well, it should provide some entertainment at least, particularly if she got into a discussion with a certain Master Marson.

Severus almost pitied the man.

He arrived at the door to her flat promptly at noon, as agreed by the pair. They had about half an hour to get to the hotel before the seminar started. The witch threw open the door looking vaguely harassed, but utterly engaging in her pretty outfit. He particularly appreciated the way her blouse clung tastefully to her curves, a fact that didn't escape the woman before him.

Holding out his arm, he gestured for her to take it in order to get to the hotel. At her questioning look, he argued "Well, we wouldn't want you to splinch, Hermione. I'd end up spending half the day looking for the pieces."

She sighed, but acquiesced, surprised at how warm his body was next to hers. Severus deliberately held her close to him, wrapping his strong arm around her as they apparated and inhaling the sweet vanilla scent of her hair.

* * *

They arrived outside a tall, sandstone building, the Taurite Hotel. Among the Wizarding population it had quite a reputation for being fairly exclusive, and was barely damaged in the Second Wizarding War. Not wanting to look clingy, Hermione stepped away from Severus the moment they landed, although she had greatly enjoyed the feeling of his arms around her. Oddly, seeing as he had been her least favourite professor (excluding seventh year of course), she felt safe in his arms. More safe than she had felt since the war began.

She didn't want to linger on the implications of that.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Severus. "Are you awake, Hermione? Only, I believe that the lecture is actually inside the building." He raised an eyebrow sardonically at her.

Shaking her head, she followed him inside. The hotel itself was very ornate inside, and had a relaxed atmosphere that contrasted with the style of the outside. Perhaps it had been designed by different people. Hermione had no time to admire the art inside the lobby as Severus led her quickly through the room to the area where the seminar would be held, a floor above.

Upon reaching the lift, Hermione was suddenly hyper aware of Severus' lithe form in close proximity to her. There was no-one else in the lift, but he seemed to be deliberately taking the opportunity to be close to her, the sleeve of his robe brushing gently against her hand as his distinctive sandalwood scent assaulted her senses.

Little did she know, but Severus was also affected by the space he'd left between them. He was almost torturing himself, being that close to her but at the same time too far to touch. Her reaction did provide some amusement, as although she had been breathing faster in the lift, when the doors opened she ran out like she'd been stung.

He just rolled his eyes, and registered the pair of them with the man standing at the entrance to the conference room. There would be plenty of time for them to get better acquainted after all.

* * *

As he'd expected, Hermione was utterly enthralled with the lecture, and he could almost hear the gears whirring in her head as she considered the applications of her spell. One potion in particular, a treatment for spinal injuries, could be greatly helped through the application of muggle medicine.

While he was engaged in a rather animated discussion with the pretty witch about the potion, Master Marson approached the pair. Although the man had a healthy respect for the Potions Master, he only knew Hermione as a lawyer, and was curious as to why she had felt the need to attend.

During a lull in conversation, he struck. "Miss Granger, what a pleasant surprise to see you here. My name is David Marson, we met at a Ministry gala last year? I must say, I'm confused as to why you chose to attend today, isn't your speciality charms?"

Internally, Marson was smirking at the slight look of discomfort on Hermione's face.

"Yes, I remember. I was invited by Professor Snape, because some of my research could have a significant impact on the subjects discussed in the lecture." Hermione had been a bit unnerved by the way Marson had looked at her that night, and he seemed to be doing it again now. It was almost predatory.

Hoping to avoid further conversation with the man, she turned to Severus, a pleading look in her amber eyes.

Taking the hint, Severus asked silkily, "Miss Granger, it's getting late and I find myself becoming rather peckish. Would you care to join me for dinner?"

Hermione nodded, greatly relieved.

"If you'll excuse us, Master Marson…" Severus drawled, taking Hermione's arm and leading her from the room in a swirl of black robes.

David Marson was left standing alone in the middle of the room, extremely pissed off at how Snape had stolen the lovely witch away before he had much of a chance with her.

Bastard.

* * *

"Thank you, Severus." Hermione said in a small voice as they left the hotel together. "I don't know what it is about him but something is really unsettling."

"No need to thank me, I intend to have you honour our agreement. You will join me for dinner." He purred.

"What, now?"

"I don't see why not, witch. Unless you would prefer to dine elsewhere?"

"Oh no, anything you choose is fine." She quickly assured him, wanting to spend as much time with him as possible.

He nodded, and apparated them both back to his home for a meal and yet more elf-made wine. It seemed Hermione had a true taste for the stuff.

Again, Hermione ended up slightly inebriated and napping on his sofa in the early hours of the morning, the two of them having just finished a particularly rowdy debate over an article in _Potions Today_. How she had still managed to be perfectly coherent escaped him.

Not wanting to face the awkward situation in the morning, he took a sleeping armful of witch back to her flat and put her to bed, fully clothed. As tempting as it was, he knew she was drunk and didn't want to make himself more despicable than he already felt he was. He did leave her a note though, just in case she woke up disorientated.

Pressing a light kiss to her forehead, he quickly departed before he pushed himself beyond his limits.

Merlin, but the woman teased his self-control to the point of snapping entirely.

At some point, the dam would burst.

* * *

**A/N**-Love it? Hate it? Tell me in the reviews! Plus, the next chapter has _dancing_. Sorry, I put it back because I thought it would fit better in the next one, but hopefully you won't be disappointed!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N-**Thanks again for reviewing! Also, if you have any fic requests, just PM me and I'll see what I can do. Hopefully, writing different stuff will cure my writer's block on this…

* * *

Hermione woke up in her bed, confused as to how she'd got there. The last thing she remembered was arguing with Severus over a particularly inane article, and then finding herself home. Getting up fully dressed, she realised that Severus must have brought her home and put her to bed, quite a thoughtful gesture on his part. A small square of parchment was visible on her pillow. Smiling at the familiar handwriting, she read the note.

_Hermione, I would like to thank you for joining me on what turned out to be a most enjoyable outing. I haven't had pleasant company like that in years, and would not be adverse to it happening again. Although I'm sure you have realised by now, I did take you home, because you fell asleep on my sofa again. Is something about it particularly comfortable to you?_

_Severus_

Delighted beyond words, Hermione pressed her lips to the parchment in excitement. He'd enjoyed the time he'd spent with her! He didn't think she was irritating or childish; in fact he'd expressed the wish that they could spend more time together, albeit in a typically roundabout way. Thrilled, she penned him a letter in response to his note, and sent it off with her new owl Archimedes. Keeping him from being eaten by Crookshanks was admittedly trying.

* * *

The pair continued writing to each other every day for a month, not only exploring the intellectual side of the other but also getting to know each other better. In all that time though, they hadn't spent any time together in person. On the back of Hermione mentioning dance classes, Severus made a decision on a whim.

He would take her on a proper date. Dinner, dancing, the works.

Severus had never been this emotionally invested in a woman before. Yes, he'd had the odd tryst with women before, and he'd fancied himself in love with Lily, but none of that compared to this. None of them compared to her.

Over the weeks they had been talking, he had seen a completely different side to the usually reserved witch. She was an extremely passionate woman, and he wanted that passion turned towards him rather than work or a new spell. He wondered if she could come to see him as a partner, not just as a confidant and friend with the occasional innuendo thrown in.

Severus wanted to court Hermione properly. He had lived such a lonely, dark life until she arrived, bringing light and hope with her. Truly, in her, he felt that he had found a kindred spirit.

Aside from Ginny, Luna and Harry, the witch preferred being alone, a trait that was very similar to his own. She didn't suffer fools gladly, and her mind had only sharpened with age. In addition to that, he knew that it was fairly likely that he would be the witch's only lover, if she consented to court him. Her relationship with Weasley hadn't got to that point, as far as he could gather.

Admittedly, the allure of being the witch's one and only greatly appealed to his less than stellar side.

If Hermione decided to court him, she would never belong to another man. Severus was a covetous man by nature, and he knew that if he won something as precious as her love, he would never give it up. He'd do anything to keep it, to keep her.

But first, he had to get the witch to agree to court him.

Luckily, he had an idea of how to do just that.

* * *

Hermione smiled at the raven as it flew in through her window, taking the letter and tossing it a sliver of bacon as payment. The bird had eventually warmed to her, although she suspected that this was more due to her feeding him than any affection on his part.

Receiving letters from Severus had quickly become the highlight of her day. The man really was brilliant, and had a wide knowledge of almost every subject that came to her. He was also a witty and invigorating conversationalist, never boring her and often making her laugh with his snarky remarks. She could barely remember a time before his company.

Nevertheless, she was missing him horribly. They hadn't met since the seminar, and she really wanted to see him again, to catch a glimpse of that rare smile that emerged when he thought she wasn't looking.

Unfurling the scroll, she hungrily read the contents.

_Hermione,_

_I must admit, your comment about dancing intrigues me. So much so, that I would care to see for myself if what you say is true, if you are as good a dancer as you claim. What do you say, witch? Care to put your galleons where your mouth is? I know a wonderful restaurant we could visit if that is the case, do send a message back with Mordant if you are amenable. I would like to see you again._

_Yours, _

_Severus_

Hermione almost dropped the letter into her tea in shock. Was he suggesting that he would take her out to dinner, and dance with her? She didn't think that her teasing would have prompted him to this!

Dear Gods, was he asking her on a date? Merlin knows she couldn't ask him, he'd bite her head off for being asinine and she might lose the opportunity.

She'd wanted to dance with him since he held her while apparating them to the seminar last month. The sheer strength of his arms concealed by the fabric of his arms made her imagination spark, and she contemplated all the delicious uses for that kind of strength.

Hermione immediately decided to go, hoping beyond hope that he wasn't just baiting her, that he was indeed asking her out on a date but concealing it beneath his usual façade in case of rejection. This could be the opportunity to finally show him that she wanted him, as more than a friend. She wanted him as a partner, lover, and maybe even more than that.

Perhaps if he accepted her in person, he would stop invading her dreams. She was sick of having to scourgify her sheets every time she woke up.

* * *

Severus looked up at the sound of Mordant's claws tapping at his window. Quickly allowing him entry, he took the letter from the raven and began to read.

_Severus,_

_I would be delighted to accept your offer. You know I won't back down from a challenge like that. Dinner and dancing, you say? I must say I'm intrigued by the prospect of dancing with you, as long as you don't step on my toes like an over-excited teenager. Although, I suppose you are much too mature to allow such a thing. _

_Anyway, where and when would we be going? I need to make sure I dress to suit your needs; after all it wouldn't do for me to embarrass you. _

_Yours,_

_Hermione_

Severus felt his mouth twitch up at the corners at her cheek. Honestly, if she dressed to suit his needs she wouldn't be dressed at all. The 'teenager' comment was hardly appreciated either, the witch knew that he detested all reference to his time as a teacher and the analogy brought back particularly trying memories of the Yule Ball. Chaperoning a room full of drunk, hormonal adolescents really wasn't his idea of fun.

But she had accepted. He could take her to his favourite restaurant, a small, friendly place in southern Valencia that catered only to magical folk. Best of all, the press wouldn't know to look for them there.

He wouldn't have to restrain himself with the witch.

Severus quickly sent her a reply, detailing the dress code (formal) and that he would pick her up at 7 o'clock that Saturday. He couldn't wait, but he had also never been more nervous about doing anything in his life. Even facing down the Dark Lord had been less nerve-wracking than the thought of her rejecting the offer of courtship he would make that night.

Severus hadn't realised it yet, but he was falling in love with her.

* * *

Six-thirty arrived all too quickly for Hermione that day. She was already dressed, but was absolutely petrified of his opinion. Had she tried too hard? Or not hard enough? At least Ginny had done her hair, so at least there were no worries about it coming out of its restraints this time. Nibbling on her lower lip, she waited for Severus to arrive.

As if on cue, there was a curt knock on her door. She rushed to open it, almost getting her heel caught in the hem on her dress in the process.

Opening it slowly, she came face to face with the man she hadn't seen in over a month.

"Are you coming, witch, or continuing to gawp at me all evening?" Severus asked, with one eyebrow raised in question.

Snapping out of her reverie, Hermione answered "Yes, of course. I'm sorry." She shyly opened the door fully to reveal herself fully to him.

Severus' jaw almost dropped, but he stopped it just in time. She was absolutely stunning. Her hair was tied into a neat bun at the back of her head, a couple of tendrils loose to frame her delicate face. She wore a long dress of ice blue, with a daring slit up one side that allowed full range of movement and flashes of creamy leg as she moved. The dress also allowed a hint of cleavage to peek from the neckline, another rarity for the witch. All in all, she was a vision.

"You look utterly radiant, Hermione." He breathed, still taking in the sight of her.

"Thank you, Severus." She replied quietly.

When he looked up, she was biting that damn lip again. Swallowing hard, he motioned for her to take his arm, not trusting himself to speak again. He'd be mortified if he squeaked like some pathetic boy.

Blushing a light pink, Hermione allowed herself to be whisked away by the one wizard she could let herself fall for.

They landed in a pretty courtyard outside a pleasant building, which had several vines climbing its surface and boxes of colourful flowers on the windowsills. It was definitely warmer than it had been in at her flat.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked, looking around as he led her inside.

"Las Locan, Valencia."

"Valencia?" She exclaimed, as they were seated in a private booth of the restaurant. Their table lacked a centrepiece and was small enough to be intimate, but still gave them enough room to be proper.

The restaurant itself was cheerful but muted, the dim lighting offering more privacy to its patrons. The key element of the place was the large dance floor, central to the room, which Severus planned to introduce Hermione to later.

"Yes. I found myself here after the war, while searching for the ingredients needed in a rare type of restorative draught. There is a species of fanged snapdragon native only to the forest here, which is necessary in most potions of that type."

Hermione nodded. "So what brought you to this restaurant?"

"I was on my way to the apparition point, but the scent of paella was absolutely mouth-watering so I had to sample it. It has been a favourite ever since."

Hermione seemed to mull this over as the waiter arrived.

Severus chose his favourite seafood paella, and Hermione opted for a range of tapas as she hadn't had the opportunity before. They had a dry white wine as an accompaniment, and sorbet for dessert.

Again, the range of expressions on Hermione's face as she ate intrigued the wizard. If she was this expressive about food, what would she be like in other areas? He was extremely eager to find out.

After their meal, they talked for an hour or so about wandlore, another area of study he stumbled across while in Spain. Apparently, the species of creature who donated materials for the wand, like a phoenix feather or unicorn hair, would always favour the owner of that wand.

This actually rang true with the man, because Fawkes seemed to favour him, and normally the phoenix would stay out of the way when the Headmaster had visitors. Therefore, he attributed it to the core of his wand, which was obviously a phoenix feather.

Both of them looked up as a waltz began to play on the speakers. Clearly, the evening had grown late enough for the dancing to begin. Taking her hand, Severus led Hermione to the dance floor.

The way the positioned themselves was so smooth it looked like they had been doing it for years. In no time at all, he was holding her close to him as they danced, spinning her expertly before gliding across the dance floor with her.

He surprised her with just how good a dancer he was. His motions were completely in time with the music and never faltered, not even when he dipped her dangerously low, arching his lithe body across hers. She felt her breathing speed up as his dark eyes bored into her own.

Severus could feel her pulse racing as he brought her back into his body, and decided to turn up the heat. Wandlessly, he spelled the speakers so a tango began to play.

Now she'd see exactly how well he could dance.

Hermione bit her lip, hesitating as she saw how intense the look in his black eyes had become. Gods, he looked like he wanted to devour her. Deciding to go with it, she let him lead her in the first, staccato steps.

Slow, slow, quick quick slow. Daringly, she wrapped her leg around him.

His eyes blazed into hers as he ran one hand down her thigh, before pulling her into him. She could feel how muscled he was under her leg, and it only served to inflame her further.

As the dance continued, the pair lost all sense of the world outside, only seeing each other. The heat between them could be physically felt, as the waiting staff found out when they caught sight of the couple. The dance ended with the witch bent backwards over Severus' arm, him leaning over her in such a way that screamed his desire to take her, to claim her as his own.

The witch was hardly helping him keep control, her eyes bright with lust as she kept herself wrapped around him wantonly. Gods, he could feel the last dregs of his self-control slipping away as he stared at the beautiful witch.

Finally realising where they were, they straightened to find half of the restaurant looking at them with something akin to awe.

Ah.

Hermione blushed prettily and hurried to sit down, Severus trying to ignore that fact as he struggled to calm himself. Not becoming aroused was an increasingly difficult task for the wizard when she was around.

The witch had wanted passion, and this wizard had it in spades. She never dreamed he could dance like that.

"Well Severus, do you believe me now?" Hermione asked coyly.

"I must admit defeat here witch, you certainly can dance." He replied, smirking.

Again she blushed, thanking him.

"I think it's time I return you to your flat, although I have greatly enjoyed spending time with you this evening."

Hermione looked at him, smiling. "So have I, it's been lovely."

"Would you join me like this again? I wish… to court you, Hermione, if you would be amenable."

The witch could see the wizard's vulnerability shining in his eyes.

"That would be wonderful, Severus. Truly." She beamed at him. "I really want to explore this further." Hermione took his hands in hers in emphasis.

The fact that he didn't shy away from the contact was another indicator that she was the witch for him. One of his rare smiles brightened his face.

"Good, witch. I intend to explore this to its fullest potential." He purred, kissing her hand lightly. "Come now, we'd better get you home before you fall asleep somewhere again."

She rolled her eyes at him, but allowed the wizard to lead her from the restaurant having paid the bill. Settling herself into his arms again, she trusted him to take her home. Hermione still felt safest when wrapped in his arms.

Landing at her flat, Severus revelled in the feeling of her soft curves nestled into his body. Carefully letting her go, he took her hand and pressed it to his lips again, a hot look in his eyes. Hermione's breathing hitched.

"It won't be a month until I see you next, I can promise you that." He silkily told her. "I would like it if you kept writing to me, it gives me great pleasure to hear from you so often."

Hermione nodded, assuring him that she would.

They said their goodbyes and he disapparated, leaving Hermione to enter her flat. She stood just inside the room with the front door closed, biting her lip.

Yes, he liked her. Yes, she liked him. But she's never done this before. She doesn't know how it works.

What was she going to do now?

Well she was certainly going to enjoy it. Their date had absolutely clinched it for her. He was a wonderful, passionate, brilliant man, and he would be hers. She could already feel herself falling for him.

He said that he wanted to court her, but what was his intention? She was the type of witch who would only fall in love once, and forever. There would never be another man for her. But would he fall for her in return, or was she just a pleasant pastime to him?

She just didn't know.

* * *

**A/N**-Nobody kill me, I tried to update as quickly as possible. Longest chapter yet! Please tell me what you think, I do love to hear from you.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**\- I know it's been ages but I'm sick, and this chapter was particularly hard to write. Hopefully Chapter 7 will make up for it soon. Sorry!

* * *

It had been two weeks since their date, and Hermione's letters had begun to tail off. Whereas before she would write him almost page per day in her neat cursive, she now barely wrote him a paragraph. Against his will, Severus found himself becoming increasingly concerned.

Had she decided that she no longer wanted to continue with him? Merlin, but he hoped not. He had honestly believed that she had enjoyed their time together, that she was receptive to his advances. Not once, during the whole night, had she looked uncomfortable with him. Not even when her body had been draped across his. So why, he wondered, was she suddenly rejecting contact with him?

A thought struck him out of the blue. Perhaps it wasn't him at all, but something else that was making Hermione so distracted that she stopped writing to him. After all, it wasn't like her to be so thoughtless. From her days as a student, he knew that she often got so focused on her work that she completely forgot everything else. Hopefully, that was what had happened here.

Severus really didn't want to contemplate the alternative.

When he didn't receive a letter from Hermione at all on Friday, he decided to pay her a visit. If he knew her as well as he thought he did, he knew that she was likely to be neglecting herself just to get her work done. To him, nothing could be that important. If she wouldn't care for herself, he would care for her instead. Even if he had to tie her down to do it.

Decided, he gathered restorative potions, realising that it was highly unlikely that she'd have anything of that calibre in stock. Task completed, he apparated to her flat in a swirl of black robes.

* * *

Hermione cursed loudly as she heard the knock on her door. Who the bloody hell could that be? Harry was away, Ginny was training and Luna was on another of her Snorkack-hunting expeditions.

Crap.

Severus.

Quickly, she hurried to the door, to find the unsmiling face of her… What would she call him now? Certainly not her boyfriend, she hated that title at least as much as he did. Severus was no boy.

From the stony look on his face, she could see that this was not the time to contemplate those sorts of things. No, she needed to appease the man. Having the grace to blush, she invited him in.

Severus started on her as soon as they entered the living room, having caught sight of her desk. Or rather, what he couldn't see of her desk.

"No wonder you've been unable to reply to me, witch. I'm surprised you can find anything in that mess of parchment." He raised an eyebrow at her, carefully studying her face to see if she'd actually taken care of her health.

She hadn't.

Her skin was sallow and pale, her now-dull eyes ringed with purple shadows and her hair almost unrecognisable in its snarl of tangles. He was fairly certain she'd forgotten about the pen she had lodged in her curls.

As she began to splutter her excuses, he cut her off with a look.

"Hermione, you must see that this isn't good for you. Tell me what you need to do and I'll sort it for you, but if you're not in the bath in the next minute so help me Merlin I'll wash you myself." He growled, his eyes glinting with promise.

Hermione gulped, knowing that he wasn't joking. To be honest, it had all got a bit ridiculous. She hadn't slept properly in several days, the amount of work one of the cases was providing getting on top of her.

"Alright, Severus." She wisely acquiesced. "I'll go. Could you just finish the patent paperwork for me? There are only a few details left, but there's so much red tape with the Ministry that it'll take me weeks to sort it myself."

Nodding curtly, Severus replied "Filling in a couple of forms is hardly the most strenuous task, I'm sure I can manage."

At her grateful look, he purred "I will need you to go and find them first, I'm sure I don't want to ruin what is undoubtedly the epitome of Granger organisation." He smirked, gesturing towards the massive pile of paperwork stacked on her desk.

Shaking her head at him in amusement, Hermione began rooting through the accumulated debris of a fortnight's solid work.

Meanwhile, Severus had gone into the bathroom and run her a bath. While the bathing facilities in her flat were, in his opinion, pathetically small, they would have to do. He added a couple of his own restoratives to the water, which would be absorbed through the skin to help her relax and heal. The wizard knew from experience how easily stress could affect a person, and he didn't want that for her.

Sheepishly, she proffers the forms as he impatiently waits for her.

Almost snatching them from her, he takes out a muggle biro to her surprise and begins the work.

"Although I'm sure you find me fascinating Hermione, your bath is getting cold and so will your dinner once I've done this." He griped without looking up.

Turning towards the bathroom to hide her smile, Hermione pondered his words. Not only was he going to the trouble of doing her patent for her, but he was willing to come and force her to take a break. Very few people bothered anymore. It was a surprisingly tender gesture from the typically cold man, and one that she greatly appreciated.

Plus, she really did enjoy his cooking.

* * *

Severus scribbled away furiously on the parchment before him, trying desperately to drown out the sound of the soft splashes of Hermione's bathing. It wasn't working. This was one torture the Dark Lord had never visited on him-having to listen to his beautiful witch bathe and refrain from breaking the door down and joining her. He'd been completely serious when he'd threatened to wash her. At this point, there was nothing he wanted more than to go in there and act on all of the 'impure thoughts' running through his head.

Funny really, you'd think a man who was a master of occlumnecy would have more control over his own thoughts.

Wait a minute, his? She had barely talked to him in a fortnight and had gone on one date with him, for Merlin's sake. Surely, it was far too early for him to start getting possessive of her. Yet, the thought of her with anyone other than him made him murderous. He wanted her to want to be his, to feel for him the way he felt for her. From what he had seen, she cared for him. But was it enough? She was so young, she could be wooed away from him by some younger wizard who could promise her the world.

No.

Hermione wasn't the type to make false promises, or go at anything half-heartedly. If she agreed to something, she would put her heart and soul into it. The same was true with courting him. It had to be. He was just pressing his old insecurities onto her; something that he knew was unfair of him. If anyone could be trusted, it was Hermione. She had never been known to be frivolous or stupid, and had only ever acted with the upmost loyalty to those she cared for.

Someday, he wanted to be added to that list.

A loud crash followed by a cry brought him out of his reverie. Leaping out of the chair, he raised his wand and pointed it at the closed bathroom door, prepared to duel.

"Hermione?!" He shouted, approaching the bathroom.

"Severus, I'm fine. I knocked a bottle and it smashed, that's all." She called, cursing under her breath.

"Hold on, I'll help." He slowly entered the room, not wanting to hit her with the door.

"No, wait!" Hermione shrieked, ducking behind the door and yanking a towel from the radiator. "I'm not decent!"

"There's glass everywhere you daft witch, would you rather be modest and ruin your feet?" He picked her up, wrapped in the towel and carried her out of the bathroom to place her on the sofa.

"Wait there." The wizard swept back into the room to clean up the glass shards.

"Severus!" Hermione cried, appalled. "I'm on the sofa, in a towel, soaking wet and without my wand!"

Shaking his head to clear the multitude of delicious images that created, he went back to help her. With a flick of his wrist, she was dry and in her nightdress. By how far it ended above her knees, he should have probably conjured a longer one. Smirking slightly, he knelt before her.

Raising a slightly mocking eyebrow at her, he lifted her foot to inspect the sole for glass. The smooth, pink skin was completely unblemished, and he slowly stroked a fingertip along it. Much to his surprise, she burst out laughing and tried to snatch her foot back. Ticklish, was she?

His small smirk turned into a full-out grin. Severus lifted her other foot and gently tapped the top of her foot with his fingers as she bit her lip. Again, he checked the bottom of her foot for shards of glass. It was completely fine. He smoothed his palm along the underside of her foot as she stifled a gasp, trying not to kick him in the nose.

Merlin, she was sensitive. It made him wonder how she'd react if his attentions were instead focused on other areas of her body…

But no. This was no time to be entertaining _those_ thoughts about the witch, he could easily scare her away and right now she needed his care. Placing a kiss on the top of her foot in a mirror of how he had kissed her hand, he rose to his feet. Instead of speaking, he turned and headed to prepare their meal, leaving Hermione alone on the sofa.

* * *

Hermione tried to breathe evenly, tugging at the hem of her nightie in an attempt to make it longer. Eventually giving it up as a lost cause, she went to check the patent forms that Severus had completed for her. Unsurprisingly, he had done them perfectly, right down to the last details of the spell. By the time she had finished reading through the papers, an enticing smell was wafting around her flat, from their meal. Curious and more than a little bit hungry, she went to check on the wizard.

Entering the kitchen, she saw him bending to retrieve a tray from the grill, giving her a truly excellent view of his arse. Not that she was staring, of course. He was dressed only in his partially unbuttoned dress shirt and trousers, having discarded the robes due to the heat. She kept out of the way as she watched him move around the kitchen like it was his own, dishing up steak, potatoes and peas with the effortless grace he always seemed to possess. If he hadn't been a wizard, he should definitely have gone into cooking.

He turned with a plate in each hand, raising a sardonic eyebrow as he caught sight of her standing by the door in her nightdress. "Is there any reason why you've been staring at me, Hermione? Is something about my methods particularly interesting to you?"

She shook her head, blushing. "It's just that you prepare food the way you prepare potions, I find the parallel interesting."

Placing the food on the small table in the centre of the kitchen, he gestured for her to sit down. "Well, as you know, I was brought up in a Muggle household. My mother stopped practicing magic after she married my father. As such, I was taught to do most things the Muggle way, including cooking. I suppose that the way I cook led to the way I create potions, rather than the other way around." He finished quietly, sitting down opposite her.

Hermione nodded, her mind swirling with unanswered questions. Damn the man, as soon as he opened up in the slightest it created more questions than it answered! However, she knew that now was not the time to ask. Just the look on his face told her that. While his expression was its usual, cool façade, she could clearly see his discomfort in the way he gripped his cutlery like iron. It seemed she was learning to read him.

She considered her next words carefully. "Thank you, Severus."

He looked up, his eyes glittering. "There is no need to thank me, Hermione. I simply did as you needed."

"You always seem to know what I need." She acknowledged. "Even when I don't. I let the case get on top of me, but you forced me back to reality again."

"Be that as it may, your bloody-minded determination is admirable on occasion. Except when it gets you into difficulties. May I ask what caused you to exclude all else to work on it?"

She gave a sad smile. "Basically, there's a young couple who were forced into an arranged marriage by their parents, and have only just escaped it after meeting every clause. Unfortunately, one such clause was a child, so there's now a fierce custody battle over a two year old boy. I have been working to resolve that for the last fortnight."

He seemed to absorb this. "It's a terrible thing, that such an arcane practice is still legal in today's society. Particularly given how the new Ministry prides itself on being liberal."

Her eyes flashed with anger. "The Ministry is just as backward as the rest of society, it seems. There is so much stigma, still, against anything outside of the norm. While being Muggle-born is no longer overtly discriminated against, there is still a clear wariness among most people. I've never seen anything more resistant to change than the Wizarding world, and nothing that needs reform more desperately. Things that became common in the Muggle world almost a century ago are seen are revolutionary!"

During her tirade, Severus' own eyes had taken on a dangerous glint. "I know exactly what you mean, Hermione. For decades, the Ministry has been much more concerned with getting re-elected than actually making any progress. Fortunately, now your spell has created a whole new area of study, people will force them into making changes."

"I hope so. There is still the practical demonstration to complete before it is licensed." She bit her lip, worried.

"We both know you'll breeze through that. For now, focus on the case. You can file the paperwork and arrange the demonstration afterwards, when you're far less busy."

Hermione agreed wholeheartedly, and the pair finished their meal in companionable silence.

Afterwards, having cleared the dinner things, Severus made to leave. He had a potion brewing on twelve-hour rotation, and had to tend it. Before he left, he couldn't resist leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, breathing in the light vanilla scent of her hair.

He almost grinned when he saw the shell-shocked look on her face as he straightened, her cheeks flushing that deep pink he had come to appreciate. Slinging his robes over his arm, he purred "I expect I'll be seeing you soon, Hermione. Do take care of yourself, I shouldn't have to bully you into bathing. You're not a toddler, after all." With a parting smirk, the wizard disapparated, leaving Hermione to stare at the space he had left in shock.

Slowly, she brought her hand to her cheek, smoothing over the spot his lips had caressed. He had moved from her hand, to her foot, to her cheek. She dearly hoped that the next time he saw her, he would finally give her what she wanted most at that moment.

As it was, for now, she would return to her work. The sooner she completed that, the sooner she'd have a tangible reason to see him again.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

**A/N- **Love it? Hate it? Tell me in the reviews! I know it all got a bit political there, but there is a reason, I promise. Again, I'm sorry it's so late, I'll try and update a bit quicker this time around!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**-Again, I am very sorry for being a slow writer-I'm doing my best! My only excuse is that I've been away. Thank you all for staying with me!

* * *

_Severus, _

_I have scheduled a demonstration of my non-magic spell for Saturday, at midday. It will be held in the Atrium of the Ministry, and I would dearly like to have you there, especially seeing as you helped to make this possible. If you are free, I would really appreciate your support._

_Yours,_

_Hermione_

Severus once again read through the letter he had received a couple of days after he had visited her, preparing to leave for the event in question. He was genuinely touched that she wanted him there, considering she had her friends for support. Certainly, he knew that friendship wasn't even close to what was starting to blossom between them, but it was still a pleasant surprise to be wanted in this way. Over the time that he had gotten to know her, he felt that he could easily lose the remnants of his heart to this witch.

Of course, that hinged on her wanting him in return. Although, from the fire in her gaze when he left her flat two days ago, it seemed there was little trouble with that. She almost looked like she wanted to devour him-an extremely arousing look for the witch, he found.

Shaking his head to clear the distracting thoughts of Hermione's ardour, he floo'd to the Ministry in time for Hermione's presentation.

* * *

Hermione was pacing in a small room behind the demonstration stage, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Quite the crowd had gathered to watch 'the brightest witch of her age' perform, and even though she knew the event back to front she was still a riot of nerves.

She was quickly scanning her notes once more when a loud twang startled the papers from her hands, strangely reminiscent of a muggle Tannoy. It announced that she had one minute to prepare before she was taken in front of the crowds to demonstrate her spell. Hermione took the minute to calm herself, using old Occulmency techniques left over from the war to help focus her mind. Remarkably, she did manage to settle, and was almost calm when a rather red faced man in an ill-fitting suit came through the door to fetch her.

"If you could come this way, Miss Granger," the man gestured to the stairs leading to the stage. "Wait just a moment, if you please." The unknown man proceeded up the stairs ahead of her, announcing her and introducing the idea behind the spell to the gathered crowd. Far too soon, he came back down and told her to proceed with her demonstration.

The old, Gryffindor courage refused to fail her now. Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, she pasted a determined smile on her face and went to face her audience.

A polite smattering of applause met her as she took her place on the stage, which quickly quietened as she began her explanation. On the right hand side of the stage sat three unbiased members of the Spell Standards Syndicate, who would be able to judge how effective the spell was and the ease of use. If it passed, she could begin to use it, and earn residuals from its publication.

Calling on the officials, she asked them to test several battery-operated pieces of equipment and mix a simple base in a clear flask. As expected, none of the objects worked. However, she explained, if the ward was cast on the area all of the equipment would begin working perfectly.

As Hermione raised her wand she faltered, a sudden fear of failure eating away at her confidence in performing the spell. Looking down at the expectant crowd, she remembered that Severus was among them. Lips quirking in amusement, she thought of how he would react if he knew what was running through her head at that moment. Something like 'foolish chit' came to mind.

Finally prepared, she cast the ward to be contained on the small stage area. After all, imagine the panic if everyone present was suddenly unable to use magical objects. There'd be a riot.

Biting her lip to stop herself from smiling, Hermione turned to find the officials inspecting the objects, stunned. The bright glare of a battery-operated torch pained her eyes, as the warbling of her ancient radio met her ears. Apparently, all of the muggle objects were now working perfectly. Even though they had been told that this was the intent, almost everyone present looked mystified. Instead of bearing witness to the Golden Girl's downfall, they had instead been privy to one of her greatest triumphs.

* * *

The last test was taking place at that moment. It was just a basic neutralisation reaction, but as a purely muggle science it was still an important part of the process. Again, this went off without a hitch, utterly delighting the petite witch on the stage.

From his discreet vantage point, Severus had a perfect view of the changing emotions on his witch's face. A flicker of doubt had initially caused him some concern, but thankfully Hermione had gotten over it. Everything had worked perfectly, exactly as he had expected.

Right now, the witch looked elated. Under the lights of the stage her features took on an almost ethereal beauty, only enhanced by the look of raw joy on her face as the SSS officials congratulated her on her remarkable achievement. Obviously, this spell was going to be become widespread immediately, what with the public support and the press reports that were sure to follow. Severus couldn't remember ever feeling this proud of someone, and never would have thought that it would be this witch.

What made her success even more incredible was that it was immediately accepted by the whole of the audience. While the Dark Lord had been defeated, pro-pureblood sentiments were still prevalent in overall wizarding society, which often led to the efforts of muggleborns being overlooked or downplayed. Clearly, this was no longer the case, at least when it came to Hermione.

Finally, the crowd had mostly dispersed, leaving just a few stragglers a fair distance from the imposing man. The corners of his lips tilted upwards as he watched her gracefully exit the stage, forming a small but proud smile. Merlin knew she deserved the recognition for her work, particularly given how she was treated by the stuffed shirts at the Ministry.

He was startled out of his thoughts as he was hit by a small, soft parcel of woman pressed into his front, her halo of brown curls tickling his chin as she wrapped her arms around him. Gently detangling himself from her limbs, he looked into the amber eyes of the little witch.

"A hello is normally required before you begin your assault on my person," he huffed, his eyes alight with mirth. "Although, it's understandable given your excitement."

Hermione shook her head, too worked up to fully comprehend his words. Before she had a chance to think about it, she reached up and gently pulled his head down to hers, pressing her lips to his. The rich scent of him utterly enveloped her as he rested his hands on her hips, pulling her flush against him as his mouth moved tenderly against hers. Her senses felt as if they had gone up in flames, the feeling of him sliding his tongue against her lips making her melt against him as she allowed him access.

Severus thoroughly explored her mouth, taking his time to absorb as much of the witch before him as possible. Everything about her kiss entranced him, tempting the very edge of his self-control until he could barely resist the urge to throw her against the nearest wall and ravish her. He could hear her sharp intake of breath as he nibbled on her bottom lip in an imitation of how she had unwittingly teased him, and it only spurred him on. Realising that he was rocking his arousal into her stomach, he reluctantly broke the kiss. It wouldn't do to act like this in public, after all.

Her eyes were molten as she looked at him, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. Again, she bit that plump bottom lip, and it begged him to taste it once more.

"I'm so sorry Severus; I don't know what came over me." Hermione stammered, digging her nails into her palms. She genuinely believed that she had pushed him too far, judging by how dark his eyes had become.

"I assure you, it was not unwanted. Had you not taken initiative, I certainly would have kissed you." He tilted her chin up, forcing her to see the truth in his eyes. "Honestly, the only hardship is having to stop."

She blinked up at the wizard, surprised. Although, it would explain the underlying hunger she had felt through his response; it gave her hope that they could continue soon.

"And, witch, you should know that I care for you. Deeply. There is no way that kissing me is going to stop that, if anything it has given me a glimpse of the passionate, wanton woman you could become with the right… encouragement. One day, I wish to explore things further with you, with your consent." He purred, the honey in his tone combined with the decadent web of his words working to ensnare her, to persuade her to belong to him.

The feminist inside her was screaming that she would belong to no man, but unfortunately it was far too tempting an idea. She had already fallen for his mind and what she'd seen of his heart; why not add his body to the equation? It could hardly do any harm.

Searching his expression, Hermione saw something that surprised her more than anything else about this man.

Vulnerability.

Obviously, he was serious about this. He didn't just want her body, or he wouldn't care if she rebuffed him or not. Clearly, Severus had been perfectly honest when he had told her that he wanted to court her properly. Smiling at him, she laid his fears to rest.

"Severus, I would be delighted to explore both you, and this relationship, further." Hermione smirked, causing his trousers to tighten. Gods, but he wanted her. Now was too soon, he decided, but he knew he had to have her soon. By the looks of it, she wanted him badly in return.

"Wonderful. Seeing as your demonstration is finished, would you care to have lunch with me? I would like to discuss your proposal in more depth, as it were."

Hermione huffed at the thinly-veiled innuendo, and took the arm he offered. He led her swiftly from the Ministry, taking her to a small café in Diagon Alley for a rather… illuminating conversation. Gods, how was she going to explain all this to Ginny?

* * *

**A/N**-How was that? Tell me in the reviews! I'm very, very, very sorry for the wait. Again. You're all saints, waiting weeks for this! Next time, come and shout at me a bit-can't hurt to gently bully me into writing, after all.


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